1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph. The stasis in the play is described as The Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The time of the play occurs in late summer in the year 1986. The characters in the play are women that are members of the reservation and who have been there for the majority of their lives, and who have mostly never left their birthplace, save for Emily, who returns following a tragic vehicular accident in California. Pelajia, who appears to be the leader of the group of women, is 53 years old and has lived on the reservation her whole life. She has become disillusioned with her life living on the reservation and sees the shortcomings of her reservation. She hopes to win the big pot from the bingo in Ontario so that she may finally enact some change around the reservation such as paving roads, etc. Philomena is the younger sister of Pelajia, and is much more feminine than her sister, She is less disillusioned with the reservation, and hopes to win the jackpot so that she may be able to buy a state of the art toilet for her home. Marie-Adele Starblanket is the half-sister of Pelajia and Philomena and has 14 children with her husband Eugene, which she “stole” from Annie Cook 20 years back. She is dying of cancer, and her marriage fails because of her illness. Annie Cook is an audiophile and the sister of Annie. She hopes to use her winning to afford a quality record-player as she collects records. She hopes to begin a relationship with Fritz, a Jewish musician. Veronique is the sister in law of the women, and raises a mentally disabled daughter, Zhaboonigan. Veronique is not liked very much on the reservation, and her husband is an alcoholic who drinks away their income. She hopes to win a stove with the winnings. Emily Dictionary once left the reservation and joins a biker gang, however, after her lover dies in a bike accident. Sje returns to the reservations, disheartened and heartbroken by life outside of the reservation. Nanabush is the spirit of the reservation, akin to Jesus in Christian faith 2. What is the intrusion? Following the announcement that Gazelle had won the last big bingo and that there would be a super bingo winning in Toronto, the women began to imagine what they would do with that winnings in the event that they win, and that begins to turn the tide of the course of the play, as the winning seem to be for each of the women a shot to escape or turn the ennui of the reservation life around. 3. What is the unique factor? The unique factor in the play is that this is the day that the women decide that they are going to go to Toronto to get the shot at winning the 500 thousand dollar jackpot. The jackpot being the unique factor as up until this moment the women had no reason to embark on a journey to leave the reservation.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play? Will the women win the Bingo? Will the women raise enough money to travel to Toronto? Will Marie Adela survive? What will become of Marie-Adele’s children? Will Philomena reconnect with her daughter?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it. Within the play, the exposition incorporated often times lend hand to the audiences, assumptions, or can surprise the audience. In example, as Philomena and her sister talk about the derelict condition of the reservation, the subtlety of the language that they use as they explain their want of actual paved roads, and toilets that work properly provide exposition and encourage the audience to use their imagination to piece together what they are talking about. Just as well, some characters may engage in direct discussion of their situation, or provide backstory that helps the audience better understand their situation and there they are coming from. Ball lists the two kinds of exposition as follows:1. Information known to all or most of the characters, and 2. Information known only to one character. The information that all of the characters know they may directly address, or hint to , as I stated before with the condition of the reservation being run-down. THey clue the audience in with specific comments or statements. Other information may be present that the characters know about but the audience doesn’t that the audience finds out about indirectly, as demonstrated by the revelation that Veronique’s daughter is mentally disabled. Information known to only one character is often only revealed when that character decides to tell their story. This is illustrated perfectly when Emily tells her story of joining the bike gang, and witnessing the death of her lover. This surprise both the audience as well as the other characters because this information was only that which Emily knew alone. 6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be. I feel that the most theatrical moment of the play would be when the women are at the bingo, and Marie-Adele dies as illustrated by her dancing with Nanabush. Following their vulnerable moment in the van when Emily finally opens up about what brought her back to the reservation after finally leaving, the bond between the women was formed. The death of Marie-Adele was important as it in a way brought the reality of each women’s situation after they embarked on this “fantasy” trip to win their fortune. In a way, her death brought them back to reality, although inevitable her death was. Veronique’s daughter’s attempt to join the dancing Nanabush and Marie-Adele was also important as the manifestation of Nanabush and the fact that Zhanabooginan was one of a few that could actually see Nanabush illustrated perhaps the close relationship the child had with spirituality, and perhaps that as that women get older, they seem to drift and become estranged from that part of their culture. 7. List some of the themes of the play. Friendship, Death, vulnerability, Spirituality, Escapism, Hope, Wealth, Poverty, Loss, Disillusionment 8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants? Pelajia seems to be the ringleader in a way, of the women. She wants to better the reservation and feels that her contribution is minimal, and would like to evoke change into the reservation, as she sees its condition being that of disarray. She holds contempt towards the chief for the rundown derelict quality of the reservation, and hopes to run for chief towards the end of the play. Obstacles that stay in her way seems to be to her lack or resources and money, as well as “me vs. myself” and “me vs society” Society is telling Pelajia that she should enjoy her lot in life, as exemplified with her conversation with her sister, who stated that it would be fruitless to leave the reservation as she has been there her whole life. Philomen embodies the society of the reservation at that moment. Moreover, the chief denying the women’s request for money so that they may go to Toronto(although they lied about what they were going to do with the money) angered Pelajia, and her condition of being without resource and money frustrates her and further determines her to attain the winnings form the bingo. Just as well, me vs. Myself is present in the play. Pelajia knows that she wants to escape the reservation and journey far from where she was raised, however, there is no exact direction of where she wants to go, and where she wants to end up. She is precluding herself from leaving the reservation, although she is not quite aware of it. The news of the bingo is the first thing that propels her to go outside of her comfort zone and actively pursue a way to get out of the reservation. Upon returning to the reservation, the audience sees a bit more emotional maturity from Pelajia, for she knows pursues and active and assertive way of changing her situation, Instead of opting to leave the reservation, she seeks a way to fix it by becoming chief, Although it is brought to her attention that it would be hard for her to run as a woman, she ignores the thought and becomes determined to accomplish her goal.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play. One image that stuck out to me immensely is the idea of the biker gang, Emily refers to hem as her rex sisters, when she left the reservation. The image of the leather jackets stuck out to me, for Emily had found her family and her company outside of the reservation, and that experience was a critical part of Emily’s growth and development. Also, the image of the women at the funeral to me reinforced the idea of the rez sisters as they all gathered to remember their friend. Moreover, the image of all of the women fighting before they begin their journey to me was a image of the play that took out to me because soon after they embark on a trip that changed the fabric of their relationship. They aired their grievances with each other and I believe that in doing so they were able to move past this and reemerge as sisters. 10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play. The relationship between sisters are emphasized more so than anything in the play. Even towards the conclusion of the play when Emily calls Zhaboonigan her sister despite their age difference and despite the fact that they are technically not related by blood, the connection between the two resembles that of siblings. The women bicker and argue, however, this strengthens their relationship as they move past their differences and bond in order to reach their aspirations of winning the lucrative bingo. Even concerning conflict such as between Annie and Marie-Adele, as they two were once rivals for the love of Eugene, the women are able to move past this, as illustrated by Annie’s adamancy when stating that she does not want Eugene. The sisterhood of the bike gang meant much to Emily as she talks of her experience with the women and the close relationship, which ultimately fell apart with the death of Emily’s lover. The sisterhood of the women were so close-knit that the absence of one shifted the entire dynamic of the relationship, and the gang disbanded.
The stasis in the play is described as The Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The time of the play occurs in late summer in the year 1986. The characters in the play are women that are members of the reservation and who have been there for the majority of their lives, and who have mostly never left their birthplace, save for Emily, who returns following a tragic vehicular accident in California. Pelajia, who appears to be the leader of the group of women, is 53 years old and has lived on the reservation her whole life. She has become disillusioned with her life living on the reservation and sees the shortcomings of her reservation. She hopes to win the big pot from the bingo in Ontario so that she may finally enact some change around the reservation such as paving roads, etc. Philomena is the younger sister of Pelajia, and is much more feminine than her sister, She is less disillusioned with the reservation, and hopes to win the jackpot so that she may be able to buy a state of the art toilet for her home. Marie-Adele Starblanket is the half-sister of Pelajia and Philomena and has 14 children with her husband Eugene, which she “stole” from Annie Cook 20 years back. She is dying of cancer, and her marriage fails because of her illness. Annie Cook is an audiophile and the sister of Annie. She hopes to use her winning to afford a quality record-player as she collects records. She hopes to begin a relationship with Fritz, a Jewish musician. Veronique is the sister in law of the women, and raises a mentally disabled daughter, Zhaboonigan. Veronique is not liked very much on the reservation, and her husband is an alcoholic who drinks away their income. She hopes to win a stove with the winnings. Emily Dictionary once left the reservation and joins a biker gang, however, after her lover dies in a bike accident. Sje returns to the reservations, disheartened and heartbroken by life outside of the reservation. Nanabush is the spirit of the reservation, akin to Jesus in Christian faith
2. What is the intrusion?
Following the announcement that Gazelle had won the last big bingo and that there would be a super bingo winning in Toronto, the women began to imagine what they would do with that winnings in the event that they win, and that begins to turn the tide of the course of the play, as the winning seem to be for each of the women a shot to escape or turn the ennui of the reservation life around.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor in the play is that this is the day that the women decide that they are going to go to Toronto to get the shot at winning the 500 thousand dollar jackpot. The jackpot being the unique factor as up until this moment the women had no reason to embark on a journey to leave the reservation.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will the women win the Bingo?
Will the women raise enough money to travel to Toronto?
Will Marie Adela survive?
What will become of Marie-Adele’s children?
Will Philomena reconnect with her daughter?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Within the play, the exposition incorporated often times lend hand to the audiences, assumptions, or can surprise the audience. In example, as Philomena and her sister talk about the derelict condition of the reservation, the subtlety of the language that they use as they explain their want of actual paved roads, and toilets that work properly provide exposition and encourage the audience to use their imagination to piece together what they are talking about. Just as well, some characters may engage in direct discussion of their situation, or provide backstory that helps the audience better understand their situation and there they are coming from. Ball lists the two kinds of exposition as follows:1. Information known to all or most of the characters, and 2. Information known only to one character. The information that all of the characters know they may directly address, or hint to , as I stated before with the condition of the reservation being run-down. THey clue the audience in with specific comments or statements. Other information may be present that the characters know about but the audience doesn’t that the audience finds out about indirectly, as demonstrated by the revelation that Veronique’s daughter is mentally disabled. Information known to only one character is often only revealed when that character decides to tell their story. This is illustrated perfectly when Emily tells her story of joining the bike gang, and witnessing the death of her lover. This surprise both the audience as well as the other characters because this information was only that which Emily knew alone.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I feel that the most theatrical moment of the play would be when the women are at the bingo, and Marie-Adele dies as illustrated by her dancing with Nanabush. Following their vulnerable moment in the van when Emily finally opens up about what brought her back to the reservation after finally leaving, the bond between the women was formed. The death of Marie-Adele was important as it in a way brought the reality of each women’s situation after they embarked on this “fantasy” trip to win their fortune. In a way, her death brought them back to reality, although inevitable her death was. Veronique’s daughter’s attempt to join the dancing Nanabush and Marie-Adele was also important as the manifestation of Nanabush and the fact that Zhanabooginan was one of a few that could actually see Nanabush illustrated perhaps the close relationship the child had with spirituality, and perhaps that as that women get older, they seem to drift and become estranged from that part of their culture.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Friendship, Death, vulnerability, Spirituality, Escapism, Hope, Wealth, Poverty, Loss, Disillusionment
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Pelajia seems to be the ringleader in a way, of the women. She wants to better the reservation and feels that her contribution is minimal, and would like to evoke change into the reservation, as she sees its condition being that of disarray. She holds contempt towards the chief for the rundown derelict quality of the reservation, and hopes to run for chief towards the end of the play. Obstacles that stay in her way seems to be to her lack or resources and money, as well as “me vs. myself” and “me vs society” Society is telling Pelajia that she should enjoy her lot in life, as exemplified with her conversation with her sister, who stated that it would be fruitless to leave the reservation as she has been there her whole life. Philomen embodies the society of the reservation at that moment. Moreover, the chief denying the women’s request for money so that they may go to Toronto(although they lied about what they were going to do with the money) angered Pelajia, and her condition of being without resource and money frustrates her and further determines her to attain the winnings form the bingo. Just as well, me vs. Myself is present in the play. Pelajia knows that she wants to escape the reservation and journey far from where she was raised, however, there is no exact direction of where she wants to go, and where she wants to end up. She is precluding herself from leaving the reservation, although she is not quite aware of it. The news of the bingo is the first thing that propels her to go outside of her comfort zone and actively pursue a way to get out of the reservation. Upon returning to the reservation, the audience sees a bit more emotional maturity from Pelajia, for she knows pursues and active and assertive way of changing her situation, Instead of opting to leave the reservation, she seeks a way to fix it by becoming chief, Although it is brought to her attention that it would be hard for her to run as a woman, she ignores the thought and becomes determined to accomplish her goal.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
One image that stuck out to me immensely is the idea of the biker gang, Emily refers to hem as her rex sisters, when she left the reservation. The image of the leather jackets stuck out to me, for Emily had found her family and her company outside of the reservation, and that experience was a critical part of Emily’s growth and development. Also, the image of the women at the funeral to me reinforced the idea of the rez sisters as they all gathered to remember their friend. Moreover, the image of all of the women fighting before they begin their journey to me was a image of the play that took out to me because soon after they embark on a trip that changed the fabric of their relationship. They aired their grievances with each other and I believe that in doing so they were able to move past this and reemerge as sisters.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
The relationship between sisters are emphasized more so than anything in the play. Even towards the conclusion of the play when Emily calls Zhaboonigan her sister despite their age difference and despite the fact that they are technically not related by blood, the connection between the two resembles that of siblings. The women bicker and argue, however, this strengthens their relationship as they move past their differences and bond in order to reach their aspirations of winning the lucrative bingo. Even concerning conflict such as between Annie and Marie-Adele, as they two were once rivals for the love of Eugene, the women are able to move past this, as illustrated by Annie’s adamancy when stating that she does not want Eugene. The sisterhood of the bike gang meant much to Emily as she talks of her experience with the women and the close relationship, which ultimately fell apart with the death of Emily’s lover. The sisterhood of the women were so close-knit that the absence of one shifted the entire dynamic of the relationship, and the gang disbanded.